- Jun 7, 2012
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One of our 3 1/2 wk old chicks escaped the cage today and our dog chased it around the yard and did have it in its mouth a couple times. He did not kill it or really even seriously wound it that I can see, but it is suffering from shock and there are some scrapes on its feet and legs, with one scrape on its wings. It did hop/limp around when I returned it to the cage, but then it just hunkered down and didn't move even when the other chicks piled on top of it. Which prompted me to remove it to a cardboard box w/food & water, in a quiet place in the house. It lay still for a long time, just heaving breathing. Now it has perked up, has started to chirp just a bit, but is not attempting to move. My questions have to do with cleaning wounds: do I just use water or should I apply triple antibiotic (I don't have any with the toxic pain relievers, just regular Walmart brand triple antibiotic)? The scrapes are similar to what you might see on a kid's knees who has just fallen down on gravel--torn skin with an ooze of blood, as well as just a sandpaper-type scrape with no oozing blood. If this were a kid, I'd wash it up, let it calm down, then let it return to its usual playing & surroundings. But this is a chick and I am very new to chicken raising. What are the steps I should be taking in this situation?